Sigil 037
Tiamat, 6:22 PM Alright, think I'm good to begin. Tiamat, 6:22 PM Anna feel free to jump in whenever. We'll be keeping Anna along. Tiamat, 6:22 PM First, brief recap. Tiamat, 6:23 PM So, you guys returned to Havenfall, having collected the third Way Stone, which should help you get to Sigil. Tiamat, 6:25 PM You guys, upon arriving, learned the secret behind a cult conspiracy you were following. An organization in the Nine Hells is crafting vessels for their devil lord, Gargauth. The conspiracy is trying to stop that for various reasons. You also learned that Rune is one such vessel (by proxy) and so is Annaza's unborn baby. Tiamat, 6:26 PM Figuring this out and also making sure they weren't a threat to any other friends (and also maybe beginning some ships for Esme and Cime's father Dyame...because of course), you guys returned to your home. Tiamat, 6:28 PM Once there, you made further discoveries. You learned that Max had been keeping Dodger in your basement/hell portal room. You also learned that Dodger was actually Damh, the last living Fae Monarch, trapped inside the body of a fox-person made by the Marquis. Also, like the others, he was sick and dying. Tiamat, 6:29 PM You convinced him to go with William to seek refuge in Verenestra's tree as a stalling tactic. Tiamat, 6:30 PM Then you went to the Undercity. You met with and said goodbye to Eva, who was actually the embodiment of Destiny, sister to Death and Dream. She allowed that form to pass on, though, and the concept of Destiny moved onto the other three women living down there, Ethel, Esther and Edwina. Tiamat, 6:31 PM What they are called now, or if they even have individual names is unclear. Hank, 6:31 PM (( there goes their card game night :(. )) Tiamat, 6:33 PM Lastly, you met with the two dragons living down there. Little baby Vorel and his older sister Vaighul. When you discussed the last stone and where it might be, Vaighul mentioned the collective hoard, where she and her fellow dragons hid. She also mentioned the lead dragon Jurgu, a massive metallic dragon (possibly the last metallic) with a deep distrust of "two-leggers". Tiamat, 6:33 PM You camped out with them there that night with the intention of flying off in the morning. Tiamat, 6:33 PM And morning is when we shall pick this up. As you guys each awaken from your respective camping spots. Rune, 6:34 PM Rune snuggles her dragony friend. Tiamat, 6:35 PM Vorel snuggles back. All the lemons have paid off, you have a loyal dragon friend now "Roo-Roo". Tiamat, 6:35 PM Vaighul awakens slowly. She is not a morning dragon. Rune, 6:37 PM I hope somebody has tea. Tiamat, 6:38 PM Vaighul: "...I am a dragon living underneath a city's sewer system. How and why would I have tea?" Quill, 6:39 PM Quill takes out his magic jug. "Hot tea." Quill, 6:40 PM ((I'm sure Quill does this fairly often.)) Tiamat, 6:40 PM ((Likely!)) Quill, 6:40 PM ((And it might in fact be the chief use of the thing at this point.) Tiamat, 6:41 PM Quill provides tea for all who wants it. Rune, 6:41 PM Rune does. Rune, 6:41 PM I don't know, but I would. Somehow. Tiamat, 6:42 PM Vorel will lap some tea if there is any left at the end. Tiamat, 6:43 PM Vaighul: "It shall be a long journey, so you know. I suggest resolving any..."business" before we leave." Quill, 6:43 PM Quill nods. Tiamat, 6:45 PM Vaighul: "Also, we will need to figure out means of travel. I can carry one, maybe two of you. I know you have a flying mount, as well. Rune, 6:47 PM I don't suppose there are portals there. Hank, 6:48 PM We have the carpet as well if it’s just the four of us I think we are ok for flying Tiamat, 6:48 PM Vaighul: "The entire point of the hoard was to keep it as a safe haven from two-leggers who might want to murder us. We don't keep portals or teleportation circles, cause that'd make it harder to defend and easier to find." Tiamat, 6:50 PM Vorel starts hovering a bit. Rune, 6:50 PM Oh, that's true. Then again you can always set one up and then you know where everything is going to show up in advance. Rune, 6:51 PM … I don't have a very good stomach for flying. Tiamat, 6:51 PM Vaighul: "We can walk, but that'd take a VERY long time." Tiamat, 6:53 PM Vaighul: "I'm sorry, unless you have a teleportation spell that doesn't require set-up on their end, flying's our only real option." Rune, 6:54 PM I'll fly, it's fine. Anna, 6:55 PM Flying poses no problem for me. Tiamat, 6:55 PM So, what is the flying order? Who's riding Vaighul, who's riding Kai and who's using another method? Hank, 6:56 PM Hank will be on Kai. Anna, 6:57 PM be a bird. Probably one of the same type I was when we were visiting Quill's home. Tiamat, 6:58 PM Rune and Quill can probably both fit on Vaighul, or you can cast fly at the right time and just...well...fly. Also, carpet. Quill, 6:58 PM Quill will fly on Vaigul. All his methods of flying only last for short periods. Rune, 6:58 PM Rune will take the carpet, 'cause ditto. Tiamat, 6:59 PM Ok. Vorel will fly with you, but likely take breaks on either the carpet or Vaighul's back. Cause his wings are not super strong. Tiamat, 7:01 PM Ok, assuming no additional deeds to do, I'll say you guys take off! Quill, 7:02 PM Quill can't think of anything other than letting people know they're going. Tiamat, 7:02 PM In leaving the Undercity, you guys would see the new Fate, the trio sitting around their old box playing cards, as before, with the same tarot deck. Quill, 7:02 PM Quill waves. Tiamat, 7:03 PM They wave back. Well, Ethel does. Esther nods and Edwina goes "Hmph". Some things don't change. Tiamat, 7:04 PM And then you guys are off! This is, actually, a way closer journey than any of the others, as you head out of the neutral lands of Havenfall and towards the remains of the Draconic Empire. Rune, 7:05 PM Rune throws up again, as usual for flying. At least she didn't hork on the dragons. Tiamat, 7:05 PM :) Tiamat, 7:06 PM Sorry Rune. As you guys pass over, you see, primarily, desert. Long, open, uninhabited desert. Not like in I'oxuzush, though. It's not overbearingly hot and humid, and the ground is less a golden sandy and more clay like. Red and rocky. Tiamat, 7:08 PM Those of you who are not getting sick and can focus on more than where you're going will spy some scattered ruins here and there, though. Assuming you pass by, you likely would not make details, but most of you would guess they are remnants of the long lost Draconic Empire. Long before the current Empress and even before the Fiend war. Back in the days of the knights, when the dragonborn armies were at their peak. Tiamat, 7:08 PM And you do spy some faded statues of dragons, mostly defaced. Tiamat, 7:11 PM The flying takes hours. You do see Vorel keeping pace with you here and there, but he does need to stop for breaks. But he is improving since you first met him. Rune, 7:11 PM Rune shares the carpet when needed once she's all barfed out. Tiamat, 7:12 PM Every time he lands back on the carpet with Rune, he seems a little sad. He looks over to his sister a lot. Rune, 7:13 PM You're getting bigger and stronger all the time. Tiamat, 7:13 PM Vorel smiles. "Fly hard." Rune, 7:15 PM Pretty soon you'll be able to fly for a longer period of time too. When I started magic I could only do one or two things in a day and my head ached afterward too. Now I can do a lot. Tiamat, 7:15 PM Vorel: "BOOMS!" Tiamat, 7:15 PM Vorel: "Many booms!" Tiamat, 7:17 PM After a while, you guys note the desert gets even rockier and soon, you see mountains in the distance. Tiamat, 7:17 PM You can even feel a bit of dampness to the air. You must be approaching the ocean. Tiamat, 7:18 PM Eventually, Vaighul is leading you into the mountain passes. Tiamat, 7:19 PM It's actually a bit trickier to keep up with her in here. A lot of swoops and sharp turns. Rune, 7:20 PM Lots of booms. … ughh, I'm glad there's nothing left in my stomach. Tiamat, 7:21 PM Vaighul eventually lands within a gorge, in front of a cave entrace. Tiamat, 7:21 PM Vaighul: "...we're here." Rune, 7:21 PM Oh thank goodness. Rune, 7:21 PM Rune gets off the carpet and washes out her mouth and then drinks some water. Tiamat, 7:22 PM Vaighul: "You guys should definitely stay close and behind me. I am a friend here and...well..." Hank, 7:23 PM Fair enough Hank, 7:23 PM You aren’t going to be in trouble for bringing us here right? Tiamat, 7:24 PM Vaighul: "...I'll be entirely honest, I don't know." Tiamat, 7:24 PM Vaighul: "It's really gonna depend how Jurgu reacts." Tiamat, 7:26 PM Vaighul heads in. Vorel coming in behind. Rune, 7:26 PM Well, we are all on your side. Tiamat, 7:27 PM As you guys head in, it is pitch black. Not a problem for most of you, but Anna does need some help getting through. Tiamat, 7:27 PM The cave forms into a tunnel, a large tunnel, big enough to fit many figures. Tiamat, 7:28 PM Eventually, you see a form come at you from the darkness. An old orcish man wielding a torch. "TURN BACK! WE SHALL EAT YOUR FLESH AND MAKE--!" Tiamat, 7:29 PM Vaighul: "Give it a rest, Baldris." Tiamat, 7:29 PM The orcish figure shifts and reforms into a fairly small (although, clearly not a child) green dragon. Tiamat, 7:29 PM Baldris: "Vaighul! Look out! They're right be--" Tiamat, 7:30 PM Vaighul: "I know, don't worry. Just let us in, they're my friends." Rune, 7:30 PM I don't think I'd be very good to eat. Tiamat, 7:30 PM Vaighul: "They wouldn't actually eat you. He just thinks that's intimidating." Tiamat, 7:32 PM Baldris looks suspiciously over all of you, but does stomp on a rock behind him. As he does, the darkness is broken by a massive gate opening. Tiamat, 7:32 PM Inside, you see, not just the light of large flaming torches, but the glimmering of massive piles of gold and jewels. And I mean MASSIVE piles. Tiamat, 7:33 PM The combination of over a hundred different hoards. Tiamat, 7:33 PM Also, dragons. Tiamat, 7:33 PM Young dragons, old dragons, dragons of every size and color just...around. Bathing in the gold, eating of found goats, playing in the air. Rune, 7:34 PM Rune smiles. Rune, 7:35 PM Oh, aren't they lovely? Tiamat, 7:35 PM You do note that many of the dragons are now stopping to stare at you, and some are even trying to hide. Quill, 7:36 PM That's a hoard. Tiamat, 7:36 PM Vaighul: "Jurgu's in a side chamber, it's a private room to himself. We can go right in there." Quill, 7:37 PM Quill waves. Rune, 7:37 PM … oh, they're scared of us. … I wish I looked smaller. Rune, 7:37 PM Rune waves too. Quill, 7:37 PM I don't think it's your height. Tiamat, 7:37 PM A couple of young dragons wave back...but not many. Tiamat, 7:38 PM Even the largest dragons seem fearful and concerned. Tiamat, 7:39 PM Vaighul steps forward. "These are friends to the collective! These people freed me and my brothers when we were captured by an evil wizard, and they reunited me with my lost kin! I swear by my scales, they shall not harm you here!" Rune, 7:40 PM Rune nods. Tiamat, 7:40 PM Eyes turn to Vaighul...but the suspicion remains. These may not be wounds that easily healed. Rune, 7:43 PM Rune checks on Vorel. Tiamat, 7:43 PM Grimroth: "I can vouch for them!" Tiamat, 7:44 PM A red dragon, only slightly larger than Vaighul lands in front of you. It takes a moment, but you do recognize him. Grimroth, the red dragon who had been mind controlled by Jarqin way back during the murder plot. Quill, 7:45 PM Hey, it's you. How have you been? Tiamat, 7:45 PM Grimroth: "Not bad. Little lonely here, most of my really close friends kind of went their own way...but I get by." Tiamat, 7:45 PM Grimroth: "How are you guys?" Quill, 7:46 PM Not bad. Looking for magic rocks. Rune, 7:46 PM Specific ones. A really specific one. Tiamat, 7:47 PM Grimroth: "...well...we got all kinds of great shiny rocks in here. You'd have to ask before taking any, though. Like...stealing from one dragon's hoard is a bad idea but this is like...all the dragons. SUPER bad idea." Quill, 7:47 PM Oh, no, we're not here to plunder anything. Quill, 7:47 PM Maybe offer our services in exchange for what we're looking for. Quill, 7:48 PM Maybe trade. We're really just here to talk, though. Rune, 7:49 PM We're hoping to speak with Jurgu, but … maybe not right away. Tiamat, 7:49 PM Grimroth tenses up a bit. "...oh...Jurgu...uh...ok." Quill, 7:49 PM That good, huh? Anna, 7:50 PM Not the best idea at the moment? Tiamat, 7:50 PM Grimroth: "You saw everyone's face when you guys walked in...Jurgu's like...that face as a person." Anna, 7:51 PM Ah. Rune, 7:52 PM Maybe we could try to make friends first? Quill sings and tells stories. Tiamat, 7:53 PM Grimroth: "......you guys want some food first, at least? I can share some of my goat. Got lots of goats." Rune, 7:53 PM That bad, is it? Tiamat, 7:54 PM Grimroth: "Look, I've seen him roast two-leggers, is all I'm saying. ...bad ones, but still." Rune, 7:54 PM He survived a genocide, I can't blame him. Rune, 7:55 PM … besides, most people have seen me roast two-leggers too, to be fair. Anna, 7:56 PM Most demons are two-leggers, so you could say that about me as well, I suppose. Tiamat, 7:56 PM Vaighul: "They'll go in with me. It should be fine. He won't roast me." Tiamat, 7:57 PM Grimroth: "...probably." Tiamat, 7:57 PM Vorel, for the record (and cause Josie asked a while back) seems pretty awestruck and is very into the gold. He's likely never seen even a piece of gold before, really. Tiamat, 7:59 PM Vaighul: "...are you ready?" Quill, 8:00 PM As ever. Tiamat, 8:00 PM Grimroth: "...here, I'll go too. The more the merrier." Rune, 8:00 PM Rune nods. Rune, 8:00 PM I'll try to let Quill do the talking. I'm probably not tactful enough for an ancient dragon genocide survivor. Quill, 8:01 PM WHo is? Rune, 8:01 PM ... well, hopefully you are... Tiamat, 8:02 PM Vaighul leads you down some other passages and you see the hoard is actually even bigger, and there are more dragons. Tiamat, 8:03 PM It seems like this whole mountain may actually have been hollowed out over time to accommodate the inhabitants. Piles of gold everywhere. Other dragons hanging around. Strangely, you do actually see some faces look upon you...friendily...or maybe hungrily. Tiamat, 8:04 PM Eventually you enter a chamber with the biggest singular pile. It basically looks like Smaug's chamber in The Hobbit. Tiamat, 8:05 PM Vaighul: "Jurgu? Are you here? ...don't be surprised...but I have brought com--" Tiamat, 8:05 PM A deep, low, booming voice comes from the pile. "I know what you've brought." Tiamat, 8:07 PM You hear a tapping as a figure comes walking out to the center of the chamber. It is an older human man, but not as old as you'd expect. His hair and beard are neatly trimmed and shock white. He is dressed in a coat of shiny brown leather over a gold colored suit, and he is carrying a very ornate looking cane in his left hand. His eyes are hidden behind shaded spectacles. Tiamat, 8:07 PM Jurgu: "Did you think you could bring two-leggers into our sanctum and I wouldn't hear about it?" Quill, 8:08 PM To be fair, we weren't exactly trying to hide our presence. Thought that might give you the wrong idea. Tiamat, 8:08 PM Jurgu: "...and what idea would you call the right one, son?" Quill, 8:09 PM Being honest. I mean, ideally, leaving you alone, but you have a magic rock we need so I was hoping we could just talk. Tiamat, 8:10 PM Jurgu: "Come to steal, I see. Oh, I'm sure that's not the word you'd use. You seem less roguish, lacking the proper grit of a true thief. More the sly slickness of a conman." Quill, 8:11 PM IF we were here to steal, we'd be rather awful at it, given we rode in here on two legs. Quill, 8:11 PM I'm actually pretty rubbish at lying, if we're being honest. Quill, 8:12 PM I don't have the patience to be slick and charming, ask my friends. Rune, 8:12 PM He's pretty good with cutting insults, though. ... I'm not very tactful either. Tiamat, 8:13 PM Jurgu: "We shall see. And what exactly do you seek here? Gold, diamonds, precious stones. Plenty to choose from. But you did say you were here for something specific. A lot of magic falls into our hoard here." Quill, 8:13 PM Quill makes a minor illusion of the stone in question. Tiamat, 8:13 PM Jurgu's begun to circle you as he talks and you can see the glint of bronze scales peak through his disguise now and then. Rune, 8:14 PM I don't think we need any money at the moment. ... especially when you consider I've already filled out the requisition forms for a small pool. Tiamat, 8:15 PM Jurgu looks at the image. "...the way stone. ...shoulda figured." Quill, 8:16 PM Mmm. I need to get to Sigil before I die. Rune, 8:16 PM We're also trying to save the feywild. Tiamat, 8:16 PM Jurgu: "This is an awful lot of trouble you're getting into for a vacation, son." Quill, 8:17 PM It's not a bucketlist situation. Quill, 8:17 PM My bucketlist is sitting at home and doing nothing, thank you very much. Quill, 8:17 PM Quill looks around. "I'm sure you can relate." Rune, 8:18 PM I suppose they didn't help you, though, so I don't know if you care. Tiamat, 8:19 PM Jurgu: "Fae ain't nothin' more to me than any other two-legger, no matter how they view themselves." Tiamat, 8:19 PM Jurgu: "So, no. Can't say you're pullin' on my heart strings here, darlin'." Tiamat, 8:21 PM Jurgu looks at Quill. "And I think I'm seein' the smart mouth yer girl mentioned. I'd watch that, iffin' I was you." Rune, 8:21 PM I'd be surprised if you had any left to pull, to be honest with you. Quill, 8:22 PM Quill shrugs. "Why be anyone other than who I am? If I was trying to weasel something out of you, maybe, but I'm not." Tiamat, 8:23 PM Jurgu shoots a short growl over at Rune, but then addresses the group again. "Ok, so, we know what y'all want. Given my kind have brought you here, and I trust them, I ain't gonna cook ya just yet. But, still ain't hearing an offer." Rune, 8:23 PM They told us you wouldn't accept any sort of quest or anything. Rune, 8:24 PM Quill is a storyteller and a musician. Quill, 8:24 PM Most of them told us you'd roast us alive. Rune, 8:24 PM ... but you've probably got stories too. Tiamat, 8:24 PM Jurgu: "Too many stories. Not enough happy endings." Anna, 8:25 PM Such is life, it seems. Quill, 8:25 PM Endings can't be happy. They mean the story's over. Rune, 8:26 PM I still can't Annaieve... well, I can, really, people are terribly self-centered and dragons are so powerful, they must not have wanted to know. Tiamat, 8:28 PM Jurgu: "I was bound to a knight for years. The stories they told all said we was bonded by friendship. And, for a time, that mighta been true. One warrior can bond with a dragon same as you can bond with other two-leggers. But when you build an army, one warrior alone won't do." Tiamat, 8:29 PM Jurgu: "I got captured and thrown in, broken to serve. I watched my first lover broken the same way. Shondo. She died in battle, defending her master. My second lover, Tormass died in the wilds. He was killed by the cannons two-leggers built for us." Tiamat, 8:30 PM Jurgu: "I got away when my knight died. I flew off, his corpse tied to my back." Tiamat, 8:30 PM Jurgu nods to a corner where you can see a dragonborn skeleton hung against the wall. Rune, 8:31 PM ... I didn't know you were enslaved too. Tiamat, 8:31 PM Jurgu: "Dragon Knights they called them. Not how they told it. We were supposedly happy to join and fight with them." Rune, 8:32 PM But people must have known. Quill, 8:34 PM A lot of this stuff is lost. Buried. Tiamat, 8:34 PM Jurgu: "Don't mean they care! Y'all ain't a bunch of babes, I can see it on your faces! What horrors have you seen go overlooked! Who gets crushed so empires can be built! And who gets forgotten when those empires write their stories!" Quill, 8:35 PM YOu know. I could write a song that would make any two legger who heard it incredibly guilty. Quill, 8:35 PM I could make it catchy, so it gets stuck in people's heads. Rune, 8:36 PM ... I try not to overlook things, but probably there are a few blessed arseholes I haven't set on fire yet. Tiamat, 8:37 PM Jurgu's form shifts a bit, and you see more of the dragon coming through. As well as some scarring along his scales. Tiamat, 8:37 PM Jurgu: "...a song is an interestin' prospect, son." Tiamat, 8:37 PM Jurgu: "...might work." Rune, 8:37 PM He's good at it. Rune, 8:37 PM ... are there any of them left around? Quill, 8:38 PM I wrote a song about the Tenku that makes everyone sad. IF I had the details, I would write you a ballad and sing it in Sigil. Everyone would hear it. Rune, 8:39 PM ... I don't write songs, but I love Vorel and I did just learn disintegrate. Tiamat, 8:41 PM Jurgu: "This was millenia ago. Everyone there is long dead. ...likely I'll join them before too many more years have passed." Rune, 8:43 PM You're still here. ... are you sure? Tiamat, 8:44 PM Jurgu: "I'm a dragon. We live a lot longer than any two-leggers. I'll be 3000 in another couple decades." Tiamat, 8:45 PM Jurgu: "And that's old even for our kind." Rune, 8:46 PM Demons are functionally immortal. And there are such things as liches and vampires. At least tell me you flambed some of them. Tiamat, 8:46 PM ((For the record, The Fiend War occurred just under a thousand years ago. Narjhan K'vorn led the Fiend War in response to the empire's decline after the dragon knights died out.)) Tiamat, 8:48 PM Jurgu: "......I killed some of the men who came to hunt us down...I didn't kill those who kept us in chains, I was too busy fleeing...it's my deepest shame." Tiamat, 8:49 PM Jurgu: "...these is one left you could kill for me. The traitor." Tiamat, 8:49 PM Jurgu: "The platinum one, who commanded us into servitude. Bahamut." Rune, 8:50 PM That's a god. Rune, 8:50 PM You could squish me, let alone him. Tiamat, 8:50 PM Jurgu: "...yes...that is a lot to ask. ...if you head to Sigil, though, and you write this song, likely it would find his way to him." Tiamat, 8:51 PM Jurgu: "I want him to know my pain, what my service to him cost me. I want him to know what happened to his creations." Tiamat, 8:51 PM Jurgu: "...that'd be enough." Quill, 8:51 PM I need the history. I need the story. If you can give that to me, I"ll make a song no one will be able to ignore. Tiamat, 8:52 PM Jurgu: "...that's fair." Tiamat, 8:52 PM Jurgu: "Grimsroth, bring parchment and pen." Tiamat, 8:54 PM (( Quill How much do you need?)) Quill, 8:55 PM ((I mean, if you want to say 'Quill is told the tale', that's fine, you don't need to give me the details, we can make them up as we need them.)) Tiamat, 8:58 PM ((You got the broad strokes, really. He tells you of many of the dragons he met. He gives no full names to the knights, only titles and surnames. He doesn't want them idolized. To give a full account, he does talk of dragons he knew when he was young who befriended dragonborns and followed them into the army. When such pairs became the norm, the army made it a practice to capture dragons and "train" them to follow the commands of a knight. And how it became practice for humans and other races that dragonborn fought to murder any dragon they saw so they could not become paired to a knight and brought to attack their villages.)) Quill, 8:59 PM ((Yeah, quill wants it from the perspective of the dragons.)) Tiamat, 9:00 PM ((He tells stories of dragons he met in and out of captivity whom he loved. It becomes clear that Jurgu is poly and had many relationships across genders simultaneously. He ultimately talks of escaping while in battle when his "knight" took an arrow to the jugular and died. He crawled into this cave and only came out decades later to create a safe place for other dragons to hide their hoards.)) Tiamat, 9:01 PM ((That's all I've got right now, but he certainly gives you enough for a song.)) Quill, 9:01 PM Quill asks if he wants his name in the story. Tiamat, 9:02 PM Jurgu: "Do you think my name would help it?" Quill, 9:04 PM I do. I guess the question is, do you want me to tell Your story? A single perspective to ground it in would be ideal. Tiamat, 9:05 PM Jurgu: "Then I want my name in it." Tiamat, 9:05 PM Jurgu: "...if it helps, I can give my full name." Tiamat, 9:06 PM Jurgu: "Jergguseheardt" Tiamat, 9:07 PM ((Do any of you know draconic?)) Rune, 9:07 PM ((Shoot, I think I do. Let me check.)) Quill, 9:07 PM Quill does. Rune, 9:08 PM ((I do not!)) Hank, 9:08 PM ((Nope)) Quill, 9:08 PM All right. That'll tie in well with the dragon sanctuary. Which I won't tell where anyone is so no one gets any ideas. Quill, 9:09 PM I'll say it's an an archipalegeo instead of a desert. Tiamat, 9:09 PM Jurgu: "Thank you." Tiamat, 9:09 PM Jurgu: "...you're not bad for a two-legger, son." Quill, 9:10 PM Quill is jotting down notes. "You have my word that I"ll play this in Sigil and all over. I'll probably make it part of my normal setlist. Of course, we'd need to get to Sigil..." Rune, 9:11 PM I think you should play it everywhere. Quill, 9:11 PM I will. Rune, 9:11 PM Rune has gotten rather weepy during the whole story, but mostly she's just really, really angry. Tiamat, 9:11 PM Jurgu: "...before I give you the stone...one more request. ...you have something really powerful on you...looks like an instrument." Tiamat, 9:12 PM Jurgu: "...can it learn songs long forgotten?" Tiamat, 9:13 PM Jurgu: "And if I gave you one, could you play it?" Quill, 9:13 PM Quill pulls out Skald's flute. Quill, 9:13 PM I think so. Tiamat, 9:14 PM Jurgu: "I had a lover, Iri, they had a beautiful voice. ...I can't remember the words but the melody went...um...laaaaaa la la laaa laaa laaaa laaaaaaaa. ...try that and see what happens." Quill, 9:14 PM Quill plays that. Tiamat, 9:15 PM As you play, the flute begins to guide you as it sometimes does. Make a performance check, Quill. Tiamat, 9:16 PM ((I can roll if that's easier.)) Quill, 9:17 PM ((Nope, gimme a second. I forgot to log in.)) Tiamat, 9:17 PM ((kk)) Quill, 9:17 PM ((25)) Tiamat, 9:19 PM As you play, an illusion appears around all of you. The cave vanishes, and you're now lying at an oasis, cool air on your face and a warm sun providing just the right amount of heat. Tiamat, 9:20 PM Looking up, you see two dragons, one a young, unscathed bronze dragon, the other a silver colored dragon. They are flying around each other in a way that seems...combative, but playful. They collide, embrace and come crashing into the water in laughter. Tiamat, 9:20 PM As they collide with the water, the song ends. Tiamat, 9:22 PM Jurgu: "...thank you. ...thank you so much." Quill, 9:22 PM Huh. This flute is full of surprises. Quill, 9:22 PM And you're welcome. Rune, 9:22 PM I'm never going to forget what you said. Tiamat, 9:23 PM Jurgu reaches an arm deep into the pile of his hoard and pulls out a fistful of coins. He drops the gold to the ground, but keeps hold of one, small stone. The Way Stone. Tiamat, 9:24 PM As he's about to give it to you, though, Grimsroth speaks up. "Jurgu...I...I'm not sure this is wise." Tiamat, 9:24 PM Grimroth: "Perhaps you should give me the stone and I can carry it for them." Quill, 9:25 PM Why, Grimroth? Tiamat, 9:26 PM Grimroth: "Look, you guys seem cool and all...but we all know you're just a bunch of two-leggers. We have to be at least somewhat careful." Quill, 9:27 PM Changing your tune pretty quick. Quill, 9:27 PM You thought he was going to kill us. Hank, 9:27 PM You are looking a little pale as well. Quill, 9:27 PM You were hoping he'd kill us, or something. Tiamat, 9:28 PM Grimroth: "Whaaaaaaat? Psh, no. I'm your buddy. Grimroth. Why would I want that?" Rune, 9:28 PM Why? Rune, 9:28 PM Are you Grimroth? Tiamat, 9:28 PM Grimroth: "Yes!" Tiamat, 9:28 PM Jurgu: ".............." Tiamat, 9:28 PM Jurgu's looking at him, closely. Rune, 9:29 PM .... no, you're not. Rune, 9:30 PM Were you going to steal from the dragons? Tiamat, 9:30 PM Grimroth's face contorts into a grin. "I wouldn't use the word 'steal'." Rune, 9:31 PM Who are you, and give me one good reason I shouldn't flambe you right now, because I've been dying to torch someone awful for hours now. Quill, 9:31 PM She really has. Quill, 9:31 PM And she just learned Disintegrate. Tiamat, 9:31 PM Grimroth: "Please, Rune. We both know you're not strong enough to tango with me, yet." Rune, 9:32 PM Mark? Rune, 9:32 PM Is that you? Tiamat, 9:32 PM The dragon's form begins to shift and morph down and you do, eventually, see the familiar face of the Marquis. Rune, 9:32 PM I don't know, you've always had rules constraining you in one way or another, so... Rune, 9:32 PM Rune does cast Disintegrate on him. Tiamat, 9:32 PM Ok! Is it an attack or does he need to roll? Rune, 9:33 PM ((Dex saving throw.)) Tiamat, 9:34 PM ((Does an 18 save?)) Rune, 9:35 PM ((Yes, alas. By one.)) Tiamat, 9:35 PM ((Sorry. These rolls happen every once in a while.)) Rune, 9:35 PM ((No worries, it's not time for the showdown yet anyway.)) Quill, 9:36 PM ((Does it do anything on a save?)) Rune, 9:36 PM ((Alas, no.)) Tiamat, 9:36 PM ((Was looking that up to find out. It does not.)) Tiamat, 9:36 PM You fire off a blast, but he just barely manages to duck out of the way. You take out a chunk of the wall behind him instead. Tiamat, 9:37 PM Marquis: "Whoa! Coming in hot. That seemed unnecessary." Anna, 9:37 PM From what the others tell me of you, it was warranted. Hank, 9:37 PM It was Quill, 9:37 PM It was very necessary. Rune, 9:38 PM Leave the dragons alone. Tiamat, 9:38 PM Marquis turns to Anna. "Oh hey! We've never actually met before! Wow...that's weird. ...that's really weird." Hank, 9:38 PM He’s not here for the dragons he’s here for the stones Quill, 9:39 PM Quill conjures up an illusion of Karabas that taps him on the shoulder. Rune, 9:39 PM Well, he can't have those either. Tiamat, 9:39 PM Marquis: "Indeed I am. Granted, if I murdered their shiny savior and ran out of here as Grimroth screaming about the murderous two-leggers...just imagine what--" Tiamat, 9:39 PM The Marquis turns and sees the Karabas illusion...and freezes. Quill, 9:40 PM Quill makes the illusion die. Like, he's dying of poison. Quill, 9:40 PM ((Veins going black, the whole nine yards.)) Hank, 9:40 PM Hank will get the stone from Jurgu if possible. Tiamat, 9:41 PM ((Make a sleight of hand check for me, Hank. With adv, cause Quill's got his attention right now.)) Hank, 9:41 PM ((18 )) Tiamat, 9:41 PM The Marquis turns to Quill, fire in his eyes. "Where do you get the balls!" Quill, 9:41 PM Quill looks like Karabas now. Still dying. Hank, 9:41 PM Hank will also slip jurgu the fake stone if possible Rune, 9:41 PM You're the one who murdered him. Tiamat, 9:42 PM Marquis: "LIAR!" Tiamat, 9:42 PM The Marquis rushes Quill with a blade drawn. Quill, 9:42 PM Why did you do it? Rune, 9:42 PM Rune Evard's Black Tentacles him. Quill, 9:42 PM Quill misty steps behind him again, or --- that works too. Rune, 9:43 PM ((Another dex save.)) Tiamat, 9:43 PM ((It's a 19 this time, sorry.)) Tiamat, 9:43 PM Quill's Misty Step does keep him out of the Marquis's strike though. Tiamat, 9:44 PM Marquis: "That filthy bat killed him! Under your patron's orders! Because of her dimwitted brother! I didn't do anything!" Quill, 9:45 PM Quill is still the Karabas. "Who set us against each other?" Hank, 9:45 PM Hank will cast sanctuary on quill Rune, 9:46 PM … you did get him killed. Tiamat, 9:47 PM Marquis: "......that would've...they would've killed each other anyway. ...he...he just had to stay out of it. I had it all under control." Rune, 9:47 PM I didn't want to Annaieve it, even of you, because you did care for him, but you did. Rune, 9:47 PM All of it really is your fault. Tiamat, 9:47 PM Tears are streaming down the Marquis's face. Rune, 9:48 PM And even if you bring him back now, he's going to hate you. Quill, 9:48 PM Quill is still the dying Karabas. "You fucked with a family. Of course he got involved." Tiamat, 9:49 PM Marquis: "...I....he.....they didn't deserve to be where they were. Not like him. He was better than them, he deserved to rule. ...he would've been king of all of it. And I would've helped him, I'd've been his. ...it would've been perfect." Rune, 9:50 PM You stupid, stupid man. Quill, 9:50 PM DId you ever ask him what he wanted? Rune, 9:50 PM You don't give people presents you want! Rune, 9:50 PM You give them presents they want! Rune, 9:51 PM You're so daft you're not even daft ! And I'm not even sure what that means but it's true! Tiamat, 9:51 PM Marquis: "He would've been happy when it was all over! ...and I didn't call the attack! I didn't put the sword in him! I whispered in their ear, but NOBODY ELSE MADE THEM FIGHT! ...he died because of who they were, NOT ME! ...and I'm going to fix it!" Quill, 9:52 PM You can't fix this. Tiamat, 9:52 PM He turns away from you and focuses on Jurgu. "Give me the stone!" Rune, 9:52 PM You stupid, stupid, daft, daft, DAFT man! Quill, 9:52 PM Quill is now Karabas dying from a stab wound. Rune, 9:52 PM He'll never look at you now! Rune, 9:53 PM The sight of you will make him vomit! If he doesn't kill you himself! Tiamat, 9:53 PM Jurgu just stares at him. Tiamat, 9:53 PM The Marquis casts a lightning bolt, striking Jurgu. He's blown back, but alive. "GIVE! ME! THE! STONE!" Rune, 9:53 PM You tried to murder his entire family! Rune, 9:54 PM Rune bubbles the Marquis in a Wall of Force-bubble. Or tries. Hank, 9:55 PM Hank will check on jurgu Rune, 9:55 PM ((Oh hey, no save on that.)) Quill, 9:56 PM Your poison killed him. Tiamat, 9:57 PM Jurgu gets up, and holds the stone in his hand towards the Marquis. "...Rune...I'm sorry. ...he has this coming, though." Tiamat, 9:58 PM The Marquis goes forward and walks right into Rune's wall of force. Tiamat, 9:58 PM "Ow! ...really?" Rune, 9:58 PM I said leave the dragons alone. Tiamat, 9:59 PM The Marquis snaps his fingers and misty steps right next to Jurgu. He snatches the stone from his hand. Tiamat, 9:59 PM ((I assume magical teleports can pass through the wall, as they're not actually passing through them)) Tiamat, 10:00 PM ((Wait...no...hold on...) Rune, 10:00 PM ((As long as it doesn't use the Ethereal Plane.)) Tiamat, 10:01 PM ((Yes, I just saw that...but I think Misty Step still works. It isn't like Blink or Dimension Door, it actually says "teleport")) Quill, 10:01 PM ((YEah, it's only 30 feet, but it's teleport.)) Tiamat, 10:01 PM ((DM call, I am going to say he can Misty Step out, ok)) Rune, 10:01 PM ((He can!)) Tiamat, 10:01 PM ((If it helps, you're REALLY annoying him.)) Anna, 10:02 PM Anna tenses, ready to shift into a bear and body-block for whoever needs it. Tiamat, 10:02 PM After grabbing the East Stone from Jurgu, he turns to Hank. "You're turn, Summer Born. Give me the stones." Rune, 10:02 PM Rune Resilient Spheres Hank. Hank, 10:03 PM You going to lightning bolt me as well if I don’t? Quill, 10:03 PM Quill casts Banishment. Quill, 10:04 PM ((Which, if it works, sends anyone back to their homeplane.)) Tiamat, 10:04 PM ((19 save on the banishment)) Quill, 10:04 PM ((DC 17 Cha save.)) Quill, 10:04 PM (Oh, nvm.) Tiamat, 10:04 PM ((You picked his best stat to target)) Rune, 10:04 PM ((Well targeting dex didn't help, so.)) Tiamat, 10:05 PM ((Fair)) Tiamat, 10:05 PM A sphere does appear around Hank, sealing him in, though. Tiamat, 10:06 PM The Marquis turns to Rune. "That will break in a minute. I have shrugged off everything you miserable welps have thrown at me. How many of you do you think I can kill in a minute?" Rune, 10:06 PM Well, you already murdered your best friend, how long did that take. Quill, 10:08 PM Quill makes a Silent Image of the scene he saw between Karabas and the Marquis. Tiamat, 10:08 PM The Marquis shoots you the ugliest look and then points at you. Rune, how many HP do you have? Rune, 10:09 PM ((54, probably.)) Rune, 10:09 PM He'll never want to see you again even if you do bring him back. That's the daftest part of this whole thing. Hank, 10:09 PM Hank will put a hand in his pocket Tiamat, 10:10 PM ...Rune...you feel your heartbeat stop. The world around you goes black and you fall to the floor. The others look on...as Rune dies. Tiamat, 10:10 PM The bubble disappears around Hank. Tiamat, 10:10 PM He grabs Hank by the collar. "STONES! NOW!" Quill, 10:10 PM Quill banishes Hank. Tiamat, 10:11 PM ...Hank, roll charisma Hank, 10:12 PM ((16 plus 4 is 20)) Quill, 10:12 PM ((Dammit Hank))\ Tiamat, 10:13 PM Vaighul is rushing to get Rune out of the room. Hank, 10:13 PM Hank will pull his hand out of his pocket” how about a deal I give you these and you leave us alone.” Tiamat, 10:13 PM The Marquis will go to just grab them. I'll give you a dex or str save to keep them, if you want. Hank, 10:14 PM ((How long since rune died?)) Quill, 10:15 PM Quill casts Conjure Fey. Tiamat, 10:15 PM ((Not a minute yet)) Hank, 10:15 PM Hank let’s him grab them Quill, 10:15 PM (I'm trying to find a list of options.) Tiamat, 10:15 PM The Marquis grabs the stones and looks at Quill. "Stay out of this." Tiamat, 10:15 PM He snaps and vanishes. Hank, 10:16 PM Jurgu I need some diamonds right now Tiamat, 10:16 PM Jurgu tosses you a diamond. Hank, 10:16 PM Hank will grab it and run over to rune Quill, 10:16 PM Quill stands there, helpless. Hank, 10:16 PM Hank will cast revivify Tiamat, 10:17 PM The diamonds turn to bright glitter in Hank's hands. One moment passes. Two moments. Rune, you take a sharp breath as you return to this body. Rune, 10:18 PM Ow! Rune, 10:19 PM Oooh, one of these days that spell is going to work properly. What happened? Hank, 10:19 PM Ok we need to move quickly because he is not going to be fooled for long I don’t think Hank, 10:19 PM Can you teleport rune? Tiamat, 10:19 PM Jurgu: "Yes, I'd rather you're not here when he gets back." Hank, 10:19 PM Thank you Jurgu Tiamat, 10:20 PM ((For the record, Rune, you're at 1 hp. Cause that's how revivify works)) Tiamat, 10:20 PM Jurgu: "Neat trick with the stones. Now get running." Rune, 10:20 PM But I don't want you to be here when he gets back either! Rune, 10:20 PM And no, I can't, I need healing before I can do something that big. Hank, 10:21 PM Hank will lay on hands rune gets 40 health Quill, 10:21 PM Anna? Can you heal her up? Anna, 10:21 PM I can certainly try. Anna, 10:22 PM If she needs any more, that is. Rune, 10:22 PM I'm fine now. Rune, 10:22 PM But what about you? What about the babies? Tiamat, 10:22 PM Jurgu: "I'll be fine. I don't have what he wants anymore." Hank, 10:23 PM If we aren’t here he won’t come back here Hank, 10:23 PM But we have to move asap Quill, 10:23 PM Quill nods. Quill, 10:23 PM Quill hugs Rune. Rune, 10:23 PM Rune hugs Quill too. Rune, 10:23 PM Right, right. Rune, 10:24 PM I'm sorry I lost my temper, Quill. I'll try to be more careful next time. He's just... so... daft. Rune, 10:24 PM Rune snuggles her boyfriend a little bit and then starts casting the circle spell. Quill, 10:25 PM YOu got to him better than I did. He's never killed me before. Tiamat, 10:25 PM You complete the circle and poof! Where were you heading to? Rune, 10:26 PM Rune was going for back in that desert we were in that one time. Hank, 10:27 PM (( io’xushuusch?)) Rune, 10:27 PM ((Yeah, there.)) Tiamat, 10:28 PM Ok! Poof! You're back in I'oxuzush! I think the one you knew was in the city, so you're back in that main city thorough faire. Hank, 10:28 PM Hank will get us to a side alley away from anyone else as quickly as possible Rune, 10:29 PM ((No, we landed outside town last time.)) Rune, 10:29 PM ((Or at least, it was a deserted area.)) Tiamat, 10:29 PM ((...I thought you guys landed right in the city...unless...did you set one up by the temple?)) Hank, 10:29 PM (( in the middle of town where the ruins of the mages guild was)) Rune, 10:29 PM ((Oh, right. Well, shit. Do I know of ANY circles that aren't near populated places?)) Rune, 10:29 PM ((Cause if so, I wanna go there.)) Hank, 10:30 PM (( the dwarven one was a storage room)) Tiamat, 10:30 PM ...you do, actually. Or, a mostly unpopulated place. Mathias's. Rune, 10:30 PM ((… rather hard on Mathias, but OK, let's do that. At least we can minimize casualties.)) Rune, 10:31 PM ((I don't want any Sokovia Accords.)) Tiamat, 10:31 PM (( :) )) Tiamat, 10:32 PM You pop in and land within the mountain. You hear Mathias off in the distance. "WHAT?!? GHOSTS?!? DAMMIT, GHOSTS, I ALREADY TOLD YOU! I AM HAPPY WITH MY CURRENT INSURANCE PLAN!" Rune, 10:32 PM ((Did you get sewer backup? You should have sewer backup.)) Tiamat, 10:33 PM You then see Mal poke her head around a rock and spot you. "No, professor. It's just them, again. The adventurers." Rune, 10:33 PM I'm not a ghost. I did die a little, though. Hank, 10:33 PM Just a couple minutes ago to Tiamat, 10:34 PM Mathias: "Oh, well glad to see you bounced back, dear. Don't let the death thing get to you." Hank, 10:34 PM We might have an angry archfey on our tail though Rune, 10:34 PM I don't think I had time to be really properly dead. Hank, 10:34 PM So I wasn’t sure it was neccasary but I had fake stones made in the dwarven kingdom Hank, 10:35 PM Hank pulls out the real way stones Rune, 10:35 PM ... you did? ... did Jim tell you to do that? Rune, 10:35 PM She might be rubbing off on you a little bit. ... in a good way. Tiamat, 10:35 PM Taeral: "OHMYSWEETGODSWHATJUSTIDON'TEVENHOWANDWHOANDWHY?!?" Quill, 10:38 PM It was a good idea. What do we do now, though. Do we know how to use these things? Rune, 10:38 PM Rune pats Taeral. Tiamat, 10:39 PM Taeral: "I really wish I could hug you right now!" Tiamat, 10:39 PM Taeral: "I was so scared!" Rune, 10:39 PM Rune kisses Taeral on the top of the globe. Rune, 10:39 PM It's all right. I don't think I had time to be, thankfully. Hank, 10:40 PM No we know they were used for navigation but I don’t think we ever found instructions Rune, 10:40 PM Mathias, do you know? Tiamat, 10:41 PM Mathias: "...are you talking about the Way Stones, born from the first materials, crafted by Moradin and gifted by Bahamut to guide travellers between planes and now scattered across the continents?" Rune, 10:41 PM Yes. We'd like to go to Sigil, please. Tiamat, 10:42 PM Mathias: "...hurm...I see...yes..........." Tiamat, 10:42 PM Mathias: "...I'm more of an amateur at this kind of stuff, but I can maybe walk you through the process. Just have to ask the old wifey." Tiamat, 10:43 PM Mathias stands up perfectly straight and you see bright lights appearing under his bandages as he mutters to himself. Tiamat, 10:43 PM Taeral: "Should we grab any of the others? We're so...bare bones right now." Rune, 10:44 PM I don't know, don't we just have to get to Aurilandur? Hank, 10:45 PM On the last simple task we went on you died Rune. Quill, 10:45 PM And convince her to come back with us. And the Marquis wouldn't be able to bring a lot of power to bear on us in Sigil without pissing off the Lady of Pain. Rune, 10:46 PM Temporarily. Tiamat, 10:46 PM Mathias: "OK! I've got it! ...I can't see, so you'll have to do this, but follow my directions!" Hank, 10:46 PM Only because a dragon gave me a damned diamond Hank, 10:47 PM Ok Mathias Tiamat, 10:49 PM Mathias works out how you need to arrange them to get to Sigil. Once done he says "and then make sure you're each standing behind the stones. They should be wide enough to fit all of you now. Lucky for you, this is a dimensional layline in this mountain...so...yeah." Tiamat, 10:49 PM Mathias: "Thanks for stopping in. We don't get enough visitors here. It's really rude to be ignored." Rune, 10:49 PM Rune stands where she's supposed to. Quill, 10:49 PM Thanks, Mathias. Hank, 10:50 PM And getting back? Or we should find that out there? Tiamat, 10:51 PM Mathias: "Oh, getting back you just need to--" Quill, 10:51 PM Hopefully Auril will know. Tiamat, 10:51 PM As he says that, you guys get zipped off. Tiamat, 10:54 PM You guys see the stones spinning around you as the world shifts and bends, like you're seeing it through a weird lens and when it reforms...you're in a city. A bustling city. With a sky that...seems to have an arch to it. Tiamat, 10:54 PM Like...the sky looks like it's bending around you. Tiamat, 10:55 PM You see minotaurs and beholders and...creatures you've never even seen before...just around. Tiamat, 10:55 PM ...you made it....you're in Sigil. Tiamat, 10:55 PM ......And here's where we'll end things for now. Rune, 10:56 PM Rune throws up, first.